The Right Of The Strong
by JPStudios
Summary: Ken Kaneki finally has all the power he needs to protect everyone around him. But at what cost? His world falls apart around him, as he sacrifices who he is for the power to keep evil at bay. Unbeknownst to him however, a darker force culminates, and it will take all Kaneki's strength to keep everyone alive. Some may not be so lucky... Sequel to 'An Eyepatch's Limits.'
1. Chapter 1

**Hello to all of my dearest readers! Once again, it is I, your favorite (hopefully) author! As I have received generally positive reviews from my previous story,** _ **An Eyepatch's Limits,**_ **I have decided to make a sequel! You may all jump for joy now. I won't give any spoilers now, but the first chapter is here for you. However, I will warn you… I am notorious for taking longer when I write sequels. So don't expect more chapters every other day. Well, here you go! Enjoy!**

* * *

The lone Investigator stood on top of a tall building, looking down on the 20'th Ward. It was very late, and the only light came from the moon above. The Investigator wore the typical CCG attire, consisting of the shirt and tie, with a long coat on top. In his right hand was a briefcase. His white hair billowed in the breeze.

However, he wasn't here just to enjoy the view. He was looking for someone. Two someones actually. They would be running around the back alleys of the Ward, most likely. They were both ghouls, and the CCG had been looking for them for quite a while now. They had gotten a tip that the two would be feeding tonight. And so, here he was, watching.

It didn't take long for him to find the two ghouls. It started with movement in the corner of his eye. Once he focused on it, they were easy to spot. He would have to stop them before they decided to kill anyone. He started on his way.

He caught up to them fairly quickly. They had stopped, having found some prey. It was a young woman who had just happened to be walking around the area. Not the smartest move on her part, the Investigator thought. But he wasn't looking for her. He was more interested in the two ghouls that were also there.

They were both male. They both had short black hair, and matching dark clothes. They were very plain, and nothing set them apart from any other ghouls. But their eating habits were erratic, and their methods were barbaric, so they had attracted the CCG's attention.

They had caught the woman easily. One of them grabbed her arms, pinning them behind her, while the other started to take off her shoes. Then, he began to nibble on her toes, ignoring her screams. The other ghoul was drooling heavily, looking at his prey. That was his signal. The Investigator walked into the light, startling the ghouls.

"Good evening, gentlemen. I'd hate to interrupt your meal, but I must ask you to let the young woman go, please," the Investigator said, pleasantly. By that time, the ghouls had recovered. While one held the woman, the other stepped forward, glaring at the Investigator.

"A Dove, eh? Who told you to disrupt my meal?!" he yelled, unleashing a kagune from his lower back. It manifested itself in a single, red tail. The Investigator looked at it for a moment, before nodding to himself. A Bikaku kagune. Equally adequate for offensive and defensive techniques. He pressed a button on his briefcase, releasing the quinque inside.

It was a long, sword-like kagune. It's name was Yukimura ⅓. He raised it to counter the ghoul's attack. His attacker swung the kagune at him with all the force he could muster. Unfortunately for him, a flick of the wrist was all it took to deflect the blow. Another slash from the Investigator cut the kagune in two, rendering it useless. The defenseless ghoul turned to his companion, an angry expression on his face.

"Come on, you! Let her go! We can eat this Dove once the two of us kill him!" he yelled, producing another kagune, albeit a much smaller one. The other ghoul nodded, letting the screaming woman go, and running to join his comrade, a Koukaku kagune appearing on his right arm. The woman ran away, shrieking in terror.

"Well, it looks like I am outnumbered. But, unfortunately for you, you are both outmatched. I will give you this one last chance to surrender," he said reasonably. In answer, the two ghouls charged at him, waving their respective kagunes wildly. The Investigator ran forward, cutting through the first ghoul's Bikaku kagune like butter, before proceeding to behead him in one slice, his head landing on the ground seconds before his body.

The other ghoul, seeing this, tried to run, drool flying everywhere. However, he had lost his chance. Before he could make it very far, a blade sprouted from his chest, before slicing upward, cutting his upper body right up the middle. He fell as well. And not a scratch was laid on the Investigator. He looked around at the ghouls. Both their kagunes were out at the time of death. Good. They would make good quinques. He raised his hand to the earpiece in his left ear, calling the CCG's Headquarters in the 20'th Ward.

"I've found the two A Rated ghouls, 'Snacker' and 'Salivator.' I have exterminated both. There were no casualties," he said. The woman on the other side of the line sounded surprised.

"Recorded. 'Snacker' and 'Salivator have both been exterminated. I will write them off." The Investigator bent down, preparing to remove the kakuhous from the ghouls. Suddenly, a hair fell from his head. Confused, he caught it before it fell to the ground.

It was black. The Investigator didn't have time to process this, however. The woman he was speaking to wasn't done yet.

"You have certainly proved your worth many times over,"

"Special Investigator Ken Kaneki."

Smiling, the Investigator drew himself back up, chuckling a bit.

"You flatter me. But honestly, I am just doing my job. I'll be returning home now. Have a goodnight," he said, ending the call.

It had been three years since the Battle of the 20'th Ward. Three years since he had called Arima. Three years since he had heard his offer.

Three years since he had become a Ghoul Investigator.

He returned his quinque back to its briefcase, then walked over to one of the dead ghouls. There was one thing left to do. He bent down, and began to feast on the ghoul's kagune and kakuhou. That had been their agreement. One kagune would be given to the CCG, and the other would be for Kaneki.

That was how he remained strong. His mind wandered to the great battle three years ago. He had grown slightly weaker since then, although he remained a formidable opponent.

His job was done. He wiped the blood off his face, then left, yearning for his bed.

* * *

 **Alright guys. Let's be honest. How many of you thought it was Arima? I hope I fooled a few of you. You're really lucky I enjoy writing. I was planning on taking a longer break, but I was itching to write another story, so here I am. You'd better be grateful! Well, I'm really tired, so I'll leave you guys with this for now. See you all later! Leave a review if you enjoyed this chapter!**


	2. Chapter 2

**This cannot be healthy. I am literally starting the second chapter right after publishing the first. I'm going to try to restrain myself, or else I'll burn out, and you guys will be left with a half-finished story. However, for now I've nothing better to do, so onward I go!**

* * *

 _The two white-haired individuals stood opposite each other. Kaneki had met Arima right where he had asked. The Investigator had wanted to meet him._

" _Thank you for coming, Ken Kaneki," he said, his face devoid of any expression. But his voice was pleasant. Kaneki responded in turn._

" _I'm curious to see what you have to say, Special Investigator Arima." It wasn't a lie. It had been bothering him for quite a while now. Arima didn't waste any time in getting right to the point._

" _You are a half-ghoul. That means that you are also partially human. You are also one of the strongest foes I have ever had the pleasure to face. Though I must confess something to you," he said, coming very close to Kaneki. He put his lips to the ghoul's ears._

" _I was holding back during our fight. Although it is true that you are a lot stronger than I, that does not mean that a few years of intense training on my part won't bridge the gap between us. I pity you, Kaneki, for everything that's happened to you. And now, I have an offer for you," Arima whispered, before backing away from him. Kaneki urged him on._

" _You and I are almost identical. You want to protect those you love, and you want to change this twisted world. I wish to do the same. I know a way that you can do that. There are many who wish to exterminate all the ghouls in this world. However, I do not believe that is the solution." Kaneki's head jerked up as he stared at the Investigator. What was he saying?_

" _I believe that ghouls and humans could live together harmoniously. Your existence is not your fault, so who are we to kill you simply for wanting to live? I believe that their is another solution to this problem, but I need you on my side, Kaneki…" Where was he going with this?!_

" _Join the CCG." Kaneki's heart skipped a beat._

" _Join the CCG?! Why would you want a ghoul fighting for you?!" he asked, very much confused._

" _We need to show the world that we can work together, humans and ghouls. You want to change the world for the better? Join us, and make it happen," Arima said. He could see Kaneki wavering._

" _Also, if that doesn't sway you, I have another incentive." Kaneki perked up again, curious._

" _If you join the CCG, I will personally make sure that as long as they behave reasonably, none of your loved ones will be harmed," Arima said. Kaneki's eyes widened. That would change everything. He wouldn't have to stand alone any longer…_

" _Very well, Arima. I'll do it."_

* * *

"Kaneki. Kaneki!"

Kaneki was jerked out of his reverie. He turned to the source of the call. It was Touka, his wife. He smiled at her, pleasantly.

"Sorry, Touka. What is it?" he asked, apologetically. Touka frowned, grabbing him by the collar.

"You need to stop daydreaming. Honestly, sometimes I think I married a dead body!" she said, exasperated. Kaneki grinned, grabbing her by the waist and pulling her close.

"Could a dead body do this?" he whispered, kissing her passionately. Eventually, she pushed him away, going to the door.

"I'm going to get our food. Watch Karena for me," she muttered. Kaneki didn't let her leave.

"Oh no you don't! he said, stepping between her and the door. She put her hands on her hips. He silenced her quickly.

"I'll do it! Stay here and relax," he said, opening the door and walking out. Touka sighed. What had she ever done to deserve someone like him?

Meanwhile, Kaneki walked out of the house, pulling on his long jacket. He breathed in the cold evening air and smiled. He was very happy for some reason.

He had everything he had ever wanted. Even his hair was starting to return to its original color. Kaneki took it as a sign that everything was starting to return to normal.

It had taken Kaneki very little to become a Special Class Investigator. He had proven himself many times, using his incredible strength to drive back threat after threat. Before long, the CCG had recognized all of the half-ghoul's achievements. They were even thinking of using his surgery as a basis to create humans with the physical abilities of ghouls. He found that idea intriguing.

As he walked towards Anteiku, he sank even deeper into his thoughts. Arima had called earlier, saying that he had something for Kaneki. Right after getting the food, he would make a quick stop at the CCG's Headquarters in the 20'th Ward.

He walked into Anteiku, ignoring the sign that clearly said 'Closed.' He was greeted by a warm nod by the manager. Coincidentally, all of its employees were enjoying a cup of coffee at the counter. Nishio, Irimi, Koma, Yomo, and Hinami were there. They had all gotten a lot older since he had first met them, while he looked relatively the same. It was almost comical. Nishio was the first to greet him.

"Every time you walk in here Kaneki, I almost have a heart attack. You look like a real Dove," he said, clutching at his chest in mock severity. Kaneki chuckled. He was about to answer when he was tackled by an unknown person.

"Damn it Kaneki! When will you learn to come see your best friend more often?!" the voice said. Kaneki smiled, looking at Hide.

After the battle, Hide had done as Kaneki recommended. It had taken him a while, but he eventually accustomed himself to the life of a ghoul, and the life of a waiter at Anteiku. He had completely recovered, and Kaneki was reminded of his early years as a ghoul.

"Sorry guys. I wish I could stay longer, but I need to bring dinner for Touka and Karena," he said, crossing his arms. At this, Nishio got in close, a smirk on his face.

"So, Kaneki. You and Touka plan on… having anymore kids…?" he asked, prodding Kaneki in the side. His face reddening, Kaneki backed away, hands up innocently.

"Umm, I'm not sure. If T-Touka wants to…" Nishio laughed, then pushed Kaneki away. He wished them all a good evening and left the building.

It didn't take him very long to reach the CCG's Headquarters. He walked inside, and was met by none other than Arima himself. Arima was like a surrogate father to Kaneki, who had no other father to remember.

"Good evening, Kaneki. Please, follow me. I have something for you," Arima said warmly, before walking away. Kaneki followed him.

He was led into an empty room, with nothing but a table and some chairs. On the table was a set of clothes. Arima picked them up and presented them to Kaneki.

"You're much more than a normal Investigator, Kaneki. I think you should dress differently as well. Here," he said, giving them to the young ghoul. Kaneki took them, then looked at them carefully.

It was almost all black. There was a shirt, with a rather slightly higher neck than usual. Then, there was a gray tie. Then, there was the jacket. It looked exactly like the one ordinary Investigators wore, but it was black, and was quite longer. There was nothing unusual about the black pants. He tried it all on, before coming to show Arima.

"Well, I think I chose well. You look even more dark and dangerous than before. Quite fitting for the half-ghoul Investigator. What do you think?" he asked. Kaneki couldn't thank him enough. He really liked the new clothing.

"And one more thing. Here," Arima muttered, tossing Kaneki one more article of clothing. He caught it, then looked down to see what was in his hands. It was his old battle suit. He looked up at Arima doubtfully.

"What's this for?" he asked. Arima's face saddened.

"You may be an Investigator, Kaneki, but you're still a ghoul. Wear your battle suit under your uniform. Sometimes, the strength of the CCG will not be enough to combat your enemies. When that happens, you have my permission to take off your uniform. When that happens, you can lose yourself and unleash the ghoul within you." Kaneki nodded, his face grave. But Arima wasn't done. He walked over to Kaneki, and put an arm on his shoulder.

"But please, if that happens, when it's all over, come back to us. Come back to me, my son," Arima said, his voice breaking with emotion. Kaneki struggled to keep his own emotions in check.

"I will… Father."

Kaneki left, walking back home, still wearing his new black uniform. He thought on all that Arima had said.

The CCG was powerful. He had his quinque, and that was enough. With Arima as a mentor, he would never have to unleash his ghoul-side upon the world. He was unstable. It was just like when he had first learned to accept the ghoul within him. It was erratic, uncontrollable.

But he didn't have to think about that just yet. He had the power to protect everyone he loved, but just what was he giving up. Himself?

No, he would make it out of this. It was his _right_.

 _To devour the weak is the right of the strong…_

He'd devour _anyone_ who tried to take _anything_ away from him.

He was _The Black Reaper_.

* * *

 **Here's a present for you guys! Two chapters in one day! Don't get used to it though. It's just a gift because you guys have been so supportive. I love you all! And, just a note. This is still Kaneki's battle suit from the anime. Alright, please review. Bye!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Alright, I'm starting to write this before I go on vacation. Let's see if I can finish before then as well. Enjoy!**

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"The CCG calls her Nutcracker," Investigator Akira told him. Kaneki crossed his arms, frowning.

"Why is that?" he asked, pulling his black jacket closer together. Arima shook her head, a disgusted look on her face.

"You don't want to know. She's A Rated, though. It shouldn't be a problem for you," she said, walking away. Kaneki shrugged, walking to the elevator. As it lowered him to the first floor, he thought about his current case.

Nutcracker. Another squad had been told to find her as well. Honestly, he didn't care if they found her first. What were they called again? The QS Squad, or something like that. He hadn't really delved into it.

He left the building, carrying his briefcase. Inside was Yukimura ⅓, his own quinque. It had been given to him by Arima, when he had first started working for the CCG. However, he would need a new one soon. Luckily, working as an Investigator had kept him incredibly fit, and he had no trouble exterminating ghouls. Since the Battle of the 20'th Ward, he was itching to use his full power again, but he could find no worthy opponent.

Aogiri had shrunken considerably. It currently consisted of only a handful of more powerful ghouls, including the One-Eyed Owl, Black Rabbit, Noro, Tatara, and more. After Kaneki finished his current case, he was going to ask to go looking for them. Maybe they would provide a decent challenge for him. He looked at his notes.

Kaneki was nearing one of Nutcracker's favorite hunting spots. As he turned and started walking down one of the more narrow streets, he had no idea that he was being carefully watched. It wasn't until he felt a rush of air that he turned around.

A boy leapt toward him, wielding a long, sword-like quinque. He was dressed in Investigator apparel, but was much younger. He had short, purple hair. That was all Kaneki had time to see before he had to raise his briefcase, blocking the strike. The boy jumped back, lifting his weapon to attack again.

"What's a ghoul like you doing with a quinque?!" the boy yelled at him. Kaneki was incredibly confused, but the boy wasn't finished.

"You couldn't even get our uniform right, you dumbass. You're not fooling anyone!" he roared, slashing at Kaneki. He dodged all of the attacks, trying to put some distance between him and his attacker.

"I bet you can't even use that quinque you stole! I'll really move up in the ranks if I kill you right now!" the purple-haired boy said, his face much more composed now. Kaneki remained silent. He wanted to see where this went.

Suddenly, two more Investigators landed behind the boy, wielding their own respective quinques. They looked to be the same age. It was a timid-looking girl with an eyepatch covering her right eye, and a rather shaggy boy, with what looked like razor sharp teeth.

"What do ye think yer doing, leaving us like that, Urie?!" the shaggy boy yelled to the purple-haired one. He sighed, clearly annoyed.

"I don't need your help, Shirazu. And why did you even bring Mutsuki? She can barely use that knife of hers. Go away, both of you. I'm going to kill this ghoul right here!" he yelled, charging once more. Kaneki sighed. This boy was either very arrogant, or very ignorant. He would have to teach the young Investigator a lesson.

He pressed the button on his briefcase, unleashing Yukimura ⅓. He blocked Urie's initial strike very easily, before reversing the blade and smashing the hilt into his head, knocking him backwards, dazed. Kaneki did not continue, waiting to see the boy's response.

The shaggy boy, Shirazu, frowned, going to join his squad leader in the fight. He raised his scythe-like quinque, bringing it down upon Kaneki. Again, Yukimura stopped the blade mid air. He pushed the boy back, where he stayed, trying to plan his next attack.

However, Urie wasn't done. He was convulsing, grabbing at his skull. When he lifted his face to Kaneki, the Special Investigator took a whole step back, his eyes wide.

In the young boy's left eye was a kakugan. It was different, however. While the pupil was a bright red, the sclera was not the same color as an ordinary ghoul's. It was grey, rather than black. Either way, this wasn't normal. Kaneki frowned.

"Who's the _real_ ghoul here, I wonder," Kaneki said, trying to bait the boy. In response, a maniacal laugh came from Urie's lips.

"You don't know… _anything_!" he yelled, a grey kagune sprouting his right shoulder and surrounding his right arm, forming a sharp blade. It was a Koukaku kagune, but Kaneki still wasn't really concerned.

Shirazu's right eye changed as well, and a large, cannon like kagune appeared from his upper back. This one was a ghoul as well? He turned to the girl, who stood far back, avoiding the fight. He didn't need to worry about her.

The two young Investigators charged at him. Shirazu fired claw-like projectiles at him, which he blocked with his quinque. By that time however, Urie was upon him. He was merciless, and his quinque was incredibly powerful. It slammed into Yukimura ⅓, actually pushing Kaneki back.

He blocked strike after strike, trying to gain some headway, but the boy's attack patterns were erratic. Kaneki was actually starting to get annoyed. Urie was looking pleased with himself, like he was actually overpowering the white-haired Investigator. Kaneki's eyes narrowed. He'd had enough.

He rammed his fist into Urie, sending him flying back. He actually _threw_ Yukimura at Shirazu, impaling his arm. Urie stood up, anger written all over his face.

"You're really an idiotic ghoul, aren't you?! What are you going to do without that quinque?!" Kaneki almost laughed at that statement. It seemed that in his anger, Urie had forgotten about the kagune.

"You should've studied harder, Urie. You must be new to the CCG, if you've never heard of _**me**_!" he yelled, as the kakugan in his left eye revealed itself. He bent down, and two long, blood-red kagune tore through his lower back, staying on either side of him. The two boys were stunned for a moment, but they decided to try to renew their attack.

The fight lasted for about three seconds. In the end, Kaneki held both of the young men wrapped in each kagune, squeezing tightly. They struggled to break free, but to no avail. He brought them closer to his face.

"Maybe I should introduce myself properly." A smile appeared on his face, and he let them go, his kagune slithering back into his lower back.

"I am Special Investigator Ken Kaneki," he said cheerfully. Urie tried to look unimpressed, while Shirazu's face whitened.

"The Black Reaper…" he muttered, getting up slowly. Urie looked away, although he clearly wanted to get a better look at the Investigator.

"The Half-Ghoul Investigator," Urie said, standing up and walking away.

Kaneki sighed, going to grab Yukimura ⅓.

He had no idea that this was going to be his squad for the foreseeable future.

* * *

 **There you go! Hope you enjoyed it! Not much to say here, except I finally decided to add the Quinx Squad to this. See you after break then!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello again! I'm sorry for being gone for so long. But I'm back now, and I'm going to finish this story, and many stories to come, so stay tuned! Enjoy this chapter!**

* * *

"So, I see you had a little mishap with Special Investigator Kaneki," Akira said, writing something down on a piece of paper she had on her desk. Urie stood in front of her, Shirazu and Mutsuki behind him, as always. Damn them, why couldn't they stay out of his way?

"Yes. I mistook him for a ghoul, and attacked him," he muttered. It pained him to say it, but he had to be honest. Akira nodded.

"Both you and Shirazu used your kagune?" she inquired. Again, Urie nodded.

"I thought we were facing an incredibly powerful ghoul. He blocked all of our attacks, even when we were fighting together. I thought using the kagune would give us an advantage, but it made no difference once he started using his." Urie was still surprised. He'd heard stories about the legendary half-ghoul Investigator, but he'd never believed them.

"Well, as long as nothing serious happened." She stood up, and Shirazu actually took a step back, his head down. His face was all red. Urie rolled his eyes. Shirazu called Akira "the holy mother." What an idiot.

"As it so happens, you've been in need of a mentor for quite a while now, and I can't be constantly watching over you…" Urie's head shot up. There was no way! She couldn't possibly think…

"Investigator Kaneki will lead you, from now on. I will notify him immediately." And just like that, she left. Urie was shocked beyond belief. After all that, she was just going to put the ghoul in charge of them?! He frowned, then left, pushing his squad members aside.

"Damn, what's up with him?" Shirazu asked, fists clenched. Mutsuki cocked her head.

"You attacked Special Investigator Kaneki. Now he's our mentor. I hope he doesn't have any bad feelings against us…" she muttered, looking slightly nervous. Shirazu laughed.

"Nah, it's me who should be worried. You didn't even touch him." And so saying, he shrugged and left, Mutsuki trailing behind.

* * *

"You want me to do what?" Kaneki said, frowning. Akira smiled.

"Kaneki, you've fought them. You know what they need to improve on. Please, help them out. They're still young, and inexperienced. Imagine what it would feel like to have that kind of surgery-" she stopped abruptly. Kaneki looked at her, his eyes narrowed.

"I know _exactly_ what it feels like," he muttered, walking away. Akira had no response. But Kaneki was a kind man at heart.

"I'll do it. But they'd better be ready to work hard." He could almost picture the bright smile that appeared on Akira's face.

"Thank you, Kaneki."

And he was gone.

* * *

The door opened, and Kaneki sauntered into his house, hanging his coat at the entrance. He was greeted by a pleasant shriek of joy.

"Dadddddyyyyyy!" Karena shrieked, running into her father's arms. Kaneki smiled, picking her up, although she was starting to grow too old for that. She was eight years old now, but she would always be his sweet little girl.

Touka appeared in the doorway as well. She went to embrace her husband, and he carried both of them to the living room.

"How was work today, daddy?" Karena asked, sitting on the couch. Kaneki went to prepare a cup of coffee.

"It went well, Karena. Daddy got attacked by some excited Doves today!" he said, chuckling. Touka frowned.

"How'd that happen?" she asked. Kaneki was still laughing.

"They mistook me for a ghoul, and a few younger Investigators got a bit eager," he answered, taking a sip from his mug. Touka clenched her fists.

"What'd you do?" she prompted. Kaneki smirked.

"I set them straight. They'd better recognize me next time, because from now on, I'll be their mentor." Touka stood up quickly.

"What?! Why?!" She took a step back. Kaneki downed the rest of the coffee in one gulp.

"I'm not really sure. I suppose it's because we all have a kagune."

Touka had not been prepared for that piece of news. Within moments, Kaneki was being pushed against the wall. Closing his eyes, he mentally prepared himself for the beating he was going to receive.

Surprisingly, it never came. When Kaneki opened his eyes, he saw Touka farther back, tears streaming down her face.

"You never told me that there were more ghouls working with you…" she cried softly. Kaneki understood now. She had misunderstood him. He went to embrace her.

"There aren't, Touka. The CCG decided to implant kakuhou into a few volunteers. However, they're still human, because the kakuhou are encased in steel frames, and their RC levels are still lower than ours. There's nothing to worry about, Touka." Within a few moments, he was able to calm her down considerably.

He could understand her despair. She didn't want to think about the CCG having merciless ghouls with quinques coming after them. That would be too much for her to handle. At least for now, it was just Kaneki.

"Daddy?" Karena started.

"Yes, Karena?"

"When can I get a mask like you?" Kaneki went to her, speaking slowly.

"Sorry Karena, but you don't need a mask. No one is going to try to hurt you now," he answered, smiling. Karena looked upset, but she accepted her father's reply.

"Come on, let's head to bed. Tomorrow's going to be a long day for daddy."

And he was right.

* * *

"By now, I'm going to assume that you all know me. But just in case, I'll introduce myself again. I am Investigator Kaneki. I am going to be your mentor for the foreseeable future."

Kaneki was standing amidst the Quinx Squad, in their own house. But something was off, but he couldn't put his finger on it. Urie was here. Shirazu was here. Mutsuki was present… Then it hit him.

"Wait a moment… Aren't there supposed to be four of you?" he inquired, frowning. Urie sighed, standing up from the reclining chair he had been sitting on.

"Saiko Yonebayashi is missing. She's probably asleep," he muttered. Honestly, the three of them didn't look very surprised at her absence.

Not the best start.

"Fine then. I'll see her later. But first, I wanted to let you all know that I don't hold any grudge against you guys for attacking me yesterday. It was an honest mistake." He needed to break the ice, and that was the simplest way for him to do so. Mutsuki and Shirazu looked relieved, but Urie seemed to be indifferent about the whole thing.

Something would have to be done about Urie as well. It was like he didn't care about anything. Kaneki would deal with him later as well.

"Well then. Let's go get Nutcracker."

* * *

 **I know, I know. If I had to rate this chapter, I'd say it was worse than usual too, but I really wanted to get something out to you guys, so you would know that I haven't abandoned you. And as thanks for waiting so patiently, after I submit this one, I'm going to start and finish the next chapter immediately after! I promise it will be great!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Voila! Here is your next exciting chapter! Enjoy, my dear readers!**

* * *

"We're getting closer, Investigator Kaneki!" Mutsuki yelled to him. Kaneki nodded. This was good. Soon, they would have their target.

"Good. Keep going! Shirazu, get on top of those buildings, and see if you can spot her!" he called. Shirazu heard him, and quickly scaled one of the nearest houses, running along the roof.

They'd been at it for a few days now. Kaneki and his new squad had started looking for Nutcracker in all her favorite hunting spots. And at last, when they had finally lost hope, an anonymous caller informed them that a woman and a man had been spotted in one of her hunting areas, and soon after, screams were heard. This could be it!

"Urie, stay right behind me in case she decides to flank us!" he yelled. Urie didn't respond. Kaneki turned, only to find that the purple-haired youth was gone. Shocked, he ran ahead, trying to find out where he had gone.

* * *

Urie sprinted as fast as he could. He was almost there. His quinque Tsunagi was in his hand, and he prepared himself for battle.

This was it. This would be his big break! If he could kill Nutcracker, he would get all the credit, before his squad ever arrived at the scene.

Suddenly, he turned into a large alleyway, where he found the one he was looking for.

She was there, standing over a bloody corpse. She was eating it enthusiastically. She had long black hair, and was wearing nothing but a skimpy set of lingerie. This didn't affect Urie, however. He was focused on one thing, and one thing only. Kill Nutcracker.

Urie ran at her, swinging Tsunagi. She almost didn't notice his approach. However, his foot slipped during his run, and so she turned, evading his strike by only a few centimeters. She leapt back, wiping blood off of her mouth. She smiled at him, revealing a set of teeth that were dyed completely black.

"Hello there, boy! I wasn't supposed to eat again today, but you look delicious!" she screamed, running after him. A purple tail appeared from behind her, swaying violently. It was a Bikaku. Tsunagi was also a Bikaku quinque, so they would be even.

Urie blocked her first strike, swinging Tsunagi in a wide arc, forcing her to leap back again. She was incredibly strong, and he strikes almost sent Urie's quinque out of his hands.

"So this is an A rated ghoul…" he muttered to himself, running towards her. He could take her, without a doubt! He'd kill her, and then he'd be recognized. Finally!

In a moment of extreme speed, he slashed upward, cutting through her arm. Crying loudly, she ran backwards, slamming her kagune into Urie, sending him flying backwards. Tsunagi was ripped from his grasp, and it landed, only a few feet from Nutcracker.

Smiling mischievously, she put her foot on the quinque, kicking it behind her. Her smile never fading, she walked towards him.

"Well, that's it then. You're mine now!" she chuckled. To her surprise, Urie stood up, his face mirroring hers. A smirk was plastered all over his face.

"That's funny. I was about to say the same thing!" he yelled, revealing the gray kakugan in his left eye. His right arm was surrounded by his Koukaku kagune, and he ran at her. She was too shocked to block his first attack. He ran her through the stomach, and she coughed up blood. But she wasn't done yet. Her kagune smashed into him again, and he was forced back. Nutcracker was no longer smiling.

"You faker! You _ghoul_!" she screamed angrily. She sprinted at him, the sharp end of her kagune striking at him. Before it could reach him, a thrown knife hit it, pinning it to the ground for a few seconds.

Suddenly, Mutsuki, Shirazu, and Saiko landed behind Urie. Inwardly furious, Urie turned to them, blocking their way.

"Stay back, you three. She's mine," he muttered, turning to Nutcracker again. However, this time, someone else stood next to him.

"No, Urie. Your squad needs you, and you need your squad," Kaneki said, stepping forward. In his hand was Yukimura ⅓, it's blade gleaming in the light. Urie never even looked at him.

"Stay out of my way!" he roared, running at Nutcracker. She received his attack with renewed vigor. With so many Doves here, it would be a waste to play with this one any longer. So, with speed Urie didn't know she had, she slashed at him with her kagune, almost ripping his body in half. As it was, he landed next to his squad, vomiting blood.

She laughed at the shocked looks on all of their faces, before sprinting towards them, intent on finishing him off. She slashed down with her kagune, but it was stopped by another quinque.

Kaneki stood there, Yukimura ⅓ between them. Without turning back, he called to the squad.

"Urie, let that be a lesson for you. The rest of you, take care of him. Make sure he lives through this. I'll keep Nutcracker busy." At this, the black-haired ghoul laughed.

"Yelling your plan out right in front of me? How bold! Too bad it won't work!" she screamed, running past Kaneki. Laughing at the ease of it, she slashed down at the squad again, but like before, she found herself blocked by the same Dove. How had he moved so quickly? He wasn't even breathing hard.

Wary, she leaped backwards, attempting to stab him with her kagune. He blocked the attack, running after her. The fight didn't last long. He soon had her against the wall, raising his quinque to finish her. Unexpectedly, she smiled, much to Kaneki's confusion.

"Bye-bye!" she whispered. Suddenly, from her right shoulder, two other kagune ripped out of her flesh slamming into Kaneki. He was sent into the opposite building, where he was covered in rubble.

He lay there for a while, struggling to regain his thoughts. This was certainly interesting. For all his strength, he had never seen that coming. Two different kagune? One was a Bikaku, while the other was a Koukaku.

Her rating had just gone from A to S. He couldn't let his squad face her alone. However, luck was with him today. She had walked towards him, intent on finishing him off. He waited until she was close. His arm sprung out of the rubble, grabbing onto the first thing it found.

He leapt stood up out of the rubble, bringing Yukimura ⅓ to stab her in the chest. However, he stopped when he realized what he had done. His face actually turned slightly red.

His hand was latched on to one of her breasts! He quickly released the strong grip he had, then backed away, his face cooling down again.

"My, my. I didn't think you'd do _that_!" Nutcracker laughed, jumping at him. She swung both her kagune. Kaneki leapt up, dodging the Bikaku, but the Koukaku was still able to slash his chest, ripping his clothes. Grimacing, Kaneki kicked her abdomen, sending her back. He landed, holding Yukimura ⅓ tightly.

Nutcracker was breathing hard, while Kaneki was still fine. Suddenly, he had a plan. He lifted his quinque, then, in a burst of speed, threw it at Nutcracker.

Laughing, she leapt in the air, dodging the quinque. Kaneki smiled. It was over.

A single red tentacle shot out of his back, heading straight for Nutcracker. Unable to dodge, her fate was sealed. The kagune ripped through her chest, and she fell to the ground, unable to heal. Kaneki walked over to her, ready to remove her kakuhou.

"I… just… wanted to… be beautiful…" she whispered, her eyes filling with tears. This made Kaneki stop for a moment. Then, she tried to lift herself up, to keep fighting. Suddenly, Shirazu was there, stabbing down at her chest with his quinque, finally killing her.

"Quit talking like yer human," he growled, standing up again. Kaneki turned to him, a frown on his face.

"Listen to me, Shirazu." The shaggy-haired boy turned to him. Kaneki looked him in the eye, his gaze never wavering.

"You must never cause a ghoul more pain than necessary. Remember, if they don't eat humans, they'll die. It's not their fault. Now do me a favor. Remove the kakuhou from her lower back, and her shoulder. I'll be back soon," he muttered, walking towards the rest of the squad.

"How's Urie doing?" he asked, kneeling down. The wound had healed a little, and Urie would definitely live. Mutsuki confirmed it. Suddenly, Urie spoke. His voice was raspy, but he could be understood.

"Investigator Kaneki… Why…?" he whispered. Kaneki looked at Mutsuki and Saiko.

"Go help Shirazu harvest the kakuhou. I'll tend to Urie now." Obediently, the two Investigators left him and Urie.

"Speak now, Urie. Why what?" he prompted, his face sympathetic. Urie's face was twisted up in pain.

"Why do I… always get… the short end… of the stick…" he whispered. Suddenly, Kaneki understood. He hadn't known Urie that long, but suddenly, he felt a strong connection to the boy.

"Always… My dad… was killed by the One-Eyed Owl… I need… to become strong… I'm… holding everyone… back… I'm in… everyone's… way…" he cried. Kaneki brought his mouth to Urie's ear.

"Listen to me, Urie. You are strong. But being strong doesn't mean standing alone. You need your squad. And believe me, your squad needs you too. Now, I need you to promise me something," he whispered. Urie stirred.

"What… what is it?" he muttered. Kaneki helped him up, now that he had the strength to stand.

"Train with the squad, listen to me. It'll make you all stronger. And I'll promise something to you as well."

"Together, when the time comes, we'll go after the One-Eyed Owl ourselves."

* * *

 **Done. Now I can rest for a little while. I'm still not completely recovered from my trip. But, who cares. I think this chapter was a success. Hope you enjoyed it. Leave a review if you did!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Not much to say about this chapter. Enjoy!**

* * *

"What do you mean, we can't go?" Kaneki asked, raising an eyebrow. Arima stared back at him, leaning forward in his chair.

"You can't go after Aogiri just yet, Kaneki. There are a few more tasks you need to take care of," he responded. Kaneki sighed. He should've guessed.

"Such as?" he inquired. Arima stood up, walking towards him.

"Thanks to the efforts of Investigator Shiki Kijima, we have discovered the residence of several powerful ghouls, one of which is the infamous Gourmet." At this, Kaneki had to forcefully keep his face emotionless. Tsukiyama?!

"It seems that they are all connected to the Tsukiyama family, which as you know, owns a very powerful business, importing and exporting goods. We've been tracking all of them, and we can narrow down their main location to one area. The CCG will launch an attack to exterminate the whole business," Arima said, grabbing some papers.

Kaneki was speechless. He had to warn Tsukiyama! But first, he had to learn more.

"What will I be doing?" he asked. Arima shook his head.

"You're one of the lucky ones. You won't be taking part in this battle. The higher-ups decided that I would be enough to defeat them. I will be commanding the soldiers, and the Quinx squad as well," the white-haired Investigator answered. Kaneki nodded. This was starting to be a bit much.

"When do you plan on attacking?"

"Tonight…" Kaneki had enough information to go with now.

"Alright then. Thanks for letting me know. I'll be heading off now."

And so he left. He had much to think about, but first, he had to warn Shuu. As soon as he was out of the building, he ran towards Anteiku, hoping desperately that Tsukiyama was there.

He burst through the doors, startling the coffee shop's inhabitants. He ignored them all, quickly running up to the manager, who frowned at his unexpected entrance.

"Where's Tsukiyama?" Kaneki gasped quickly. Yoshimura shook his head.

"I'm not surprised that you ask. I haven't seen Tsukiyama in days. It's actually quite odd, since he visits us almost every day. You haven't been here in quite a while, so I'm not surprised that you haven't noticed," he answered calmly. A shiver crawled up Kaneki's spine.

"Do you know where I can find him?" he asked. The manager shook his head. Within seconds, he was out the door again, running to his house.

"What the hell?!" he heard his wife say as he ran into the house.

"No time to explain!" he yelled, quickly kissing his wife and child, before running into his room. He dropped to the floor, grabbing a small box from under his bed. Then, he snatched his phone from his pocket, quickly dialing a number.

"Hey, Uta. Do you still have my measurements? I need you to make me another mask. Something unlike my previous one. I'll be there in an hour." He hung up, running back outside, before looking at the time. It was five, and the sun would be setting in a few hours. The CCG would launch their attack soon. This was bad.

He couldn't warn Tsukiyama, and he was stuck. He had a vague plan, but it would be incredibly risky…

* * *

Kaneki stood on top of a pile of steel beams, which in turn lay on top of a tall skyscraper, which was owned by the Tsukiyama family. This was wear the battle would be, it seemed.

He wore his black battle suit, and a new mask that Uta had made for him. It was a plain white mask with exaggerated teeth and lips with one eye in the form of a plus, and the other a heart. It resembled a clown mask. Kaneki wasn't sure why Uta had made it look the way it did, but he was grateful nonetheless.

The sun had just set, and the CCG would be here soon. There were many people working in the tower, but none of them had noticed the half-ghoul's presence.

His plan was simple. He had to find Tsukiyama, and get him out of there, before he was killed. He didn't plan on fighting anyone, but if it came to it, he wouldn't be recognized. He had searched the tower before, to see if he could get Shuu out early, but he hadn't come yet. Kaneki was sure that he was here now, though.

Suddenly, the CCG appeared. It started with a few vans, but quickly turned into a plethora of vehicles and soldiers that had surrounded the building. Within moments, they started streaming into the building, and the sound of fighting was heard soon after. It was time.

Kaneki leapt from the beams, running into the building and down the steps. He ran past man surprised workers, who were most likely ghouls. Nowhere did he find Shuu, however. He sighed.

This was going to be harder than he thought.

* * *

 **Sorry for the shorter chapter guys. Kinda lacking inspiration. Don't worry though, I'll get another chapter started soon. Until then!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Alright, this'll be an action packed chapter! Now, I must say this. This chapter will start the downward spiral. This is where the climax begins. Everything after this will be full of action, death, and tragedy. Enjoy.**

* * *

Kaneki leapt down a flight of stairs, passing all of the building's residents. Soon, he would reach the Investigators. Hopefully, they hadn't gotten Tsukiyama yet.

"Where's Special Investigator Arima?" he heard a voice call. He stopped in his tracks, listening. Another voice answered the first.

"He's farther down, finishing any ghouls that may try to escape. They're trapped in here!" it answered. Kaneki sped up. This was worse than he thought.

Suddenly, he ran into a large room, with bodies strewn all over the place. There were ghouls and Investigators fighting all over the place. Kaneki scanned the room, but Tsukiyama was nowhere to be found. Before he could leave, a Dove came out of nowhere, attempting to stab him with his quinque. Kaneki leapt out of the way, but not before the Investigator called to his companions.

"It looks like we have a Clown here!" he yelled, following Kaneki. A Clown? Well, it would make sense. His mask resembled those of the Clowns immensely. He wondered if that was why Uta had made it for him.

It was there, in the midst of the battle, that he saw a familiar face. It was Urie, with the rest of his squad, fighting off a pair of ghouls. Once they were dead, Urie turned to look for more. Obviously, he was looking for credit. Surprisingly, it looked like he was looking for recognition for his whole squad, since he was moving with them.

Suddenly, Urie turned to Kaneki, noticing him for the first time. A strange smile appeared on the purple-haired youth's face. At first, Kaneki thought that the Investigator had recognized him, but no. He was smiling for a different reason. Killing a Clown would reap a huge reward, as they were usually incredibly powerful.

"Come on, guys! This is our chance!" Urie called, running towards Kaneki. Not wasting any time, Kaneki ran away, wondering where he could go. However, the QS squad was on his tail, and they were relentless. He figured that his best bet was to go back to the roof, so he changed direction and started running up the stairs.

He made it quickly, losing his pursuers for a while. There he stood, right where he'd started, on the edge of the roof, staring out at the city. He heard the footsteps of the Quinx squad come out the door and surround him, standing a few meters away.

"Gotcha…" Shirazu muttered, holding his quinque. The three others did the same, brandishing their weapons. Kaneki was silent, not even turning around to look at them.

He heard Urie run at him, slashing with Tsunagi. Kaneki moved like lightning. He would have to incapacitate them quickly, before more Investigators joined them. He kicked at Urie quickly, knocking him backwards, then landed on the ground, charging at Saiko and punching her in the stomach in quick succession. He leapt back, turning in the air and sending a powerful kick to Shirazu's head, felling him easily. That left Mutsuki, who still could not react in time. He chopped down at her neck, knocking her unconscious. He stepped back, waiting to see who would get up.

"Damn…" Urie gasped, picking himself up. He smirked, dropping Tsunagi. Revealing his kakugan, his arm was covered by his kagune. He seemed disappointed when Kaneki did not react to his transformation.

"So this is a Clown. Not bad, I must confess. But we can still kill you, if we use our kagune. Right, Shirazu?" he muttered, pointing his kagune at Kaneki. Shirazu nodded, revealing his Ukaku kagune as well.

"Are ye gonna fight too, Saiko?" Shirazu growled. The chubby little Investigator was on the floor, still groaning in pain. Urie sighed, rolling his eyes.

"It doesn't matter. The two of us can do it!" he yelled, charging. Kaneki crouched, preparing himself. Shirazu sent dozens of little pea-sized bullets at him from his kagune. The half-ghoul dodged them easily, tripping Urie and running at Shirazu.

He sent another punch towards the Investigator, burying his fist in his stomach. Shirazu coughed up blood, stumbling backwards and clutching at his abdomen. Yelling, Urie came up behind him. Kaneki never even turned around. He simply raised a fist, slamming it into Urie's face, knocking him down.

Walking away, Kaneki thought. He had finished them quickly, but he had still wasted time. Where was Tsukiyama?!

"Wait… I can still… fight…" Urie gasped. Kaneki tried to ignore him, but was unable to. He turned around to see Urie on his knees, gasping for breath. Using his kagune to support him, he fought to get up on his feet.

Suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere, a helicopter came from the sky, lowering itself onto the building. He didn't react yet, waiting to see who was inside. Two men came out, walking towards Kaneki.

"Where's Master Shuu?" one of them growled. Kaneki cocked his head.

"I don't know," he responded. It was the best answer, and honestly, the truth. They charged at him, revealing a Koukaku kagune and an Ukaku kagune. So they were ghouls. And they were probably with Tsukiyama, so he couldn't kill them.

He moved quickly, leaping through the air and landing on the Ukaku ghoul, striking like a snake. Using the same technique that had felled Mutsuki, he knocked the man unconscious, before sprinting at the other man and punching right through his abdomen. His fist passed right through his body, and the man dropped, vomiting blood.

Kaneki ran back inside, not letting anything else distract him. He had to find Tsukiyama, and direct him to the roof. A few Investigators noticed him, and started giving chase, but he ignored them. He prayed that he wouldn't run into Arima. He had no idea how strong the Special Investigator had become, and didn't know whether he could face him now.

"They have a helicopter on the roof! Come on, let's go!" he heard voices call. Damn it! They knew about the helicopter. What could he do now?

Suddenly, a plan started forming in his mind. Yes, it would work, but he would have to be careful. He ran upstairs again, wondering where he had left it. He had put it in a corner of one of the rooms, just in case he had to join the CCG again. Yes, he'd found it!

He picked up his black coat from the floor, throwing it on himself. He pulled his mask off, dropping it on the floor. If he had time, he would return from it. Quickly, he checked himself, making sure that he was presentable. He had to make his story believable.

Kaneki ran up the stairs, making it up to the door that led to the roof. Using his kagune, he smashed down on the stairs, letting them collapse. Now, no Investigators would reach him for a time. Then, he ran outside.

What he saw plunged him into a deep sense of despair…

Kaneki saw the last remains of the burning helicopter fall off the roof, landing on the ground below. The two ghouls he had fought were gone, along with the Quinx squad. On the other edge of the roof stood the blue-haired ghoul that he had risked so much to find.

"Tsukiyama," Kaneki said outloud. The ghoul turned around, shock on his face, until he realized who it was. Relief showed on his face.

"Ah, hello Kaneki," Shuu said, a sad smile on his face. Kaneki returned the smile. How was he going to deal with this?

"The Doves are coming for you, Shuu. We need to get out of here," he said, but Tsukiyama shook his head.

"How? That helicopter was the only thing I could get away on, but the Doves shot it down from one of their passing planes," he answered. Kaneki put a hand on his face, almost conceding defeat.

Almost.

"How'd they find out about you?" Kaneki inquired, trying to think of a way to escape.

"Two of my servants were captured and tortured. Then, my most trusted servant, Kanae disappeared. They must have given up the information. I don't blame-"

Suddenly, something slammed into Kaneki, sending him stumbling. He leapt back, raising his arms to defend himself. He looked at his attacker.

It was a ghoul. It wore the robes of Aogiri, and a mask on its face. At first glance, it looked like Noro. However, the mask was slightly different, and its hair was purple.

"Borg," it hissed at Kaneki. Frowning, Kaneki stepped forward. Who the hell was this? Tsukiyama however, looked horrified.

"Kanae…?" he muttered. The purple-haired ghoul turned.

"Ya. Please, Master Shuu, let me take care of this filthy Dove trash," Kanae hissed. Before Tsukiyama could explain anything, Kanae charged. Kaneki dodged his first attack, and slammed his arms down, snapping the ghoul's right arm. However, that didn't stop Kanae. His left arm snapped upwards, slapping Kaneki in the face.

Wincing, Kaneki kicked at Kanae's chest, breaking a few ribs. Still, the ghoul would not stop. Kaneki frowned. This was annoying. He leapt at Kanae, punching right through his stomach, before dropping down and tripping the ghoul. Finally, he kicked him full on the chest, sending him flying into some of the steel beams. That would keep him down for a while, Kaneki thought.

He heard some Investigators trying to get through the rubble at the doorway. Damn it! He was stuck. Kaneki ran at Tsukiyama, trying to think of a plan to get them out of there. However, a large figure landed on the roof between them, spreading a shower of dust everywhere. Kaneki could barely see.

Suddenly, a large kagune slammed into Kaneki. He had never felt anything like it. It was incredibly powerful, and Kaneki couldn't stop it. He slammed into the steel beams with Kanae, struggling to get up before his incredibly strong opponent could renew the attack. All color left his face when he saw who it was.

It was the One-Eyed Owl. It was different this time. It was much larger, and covered in many more spikes and blades. The hideous face smiled at Kaneki, revealing a set of razor sharp teeth.

" _ **Hello there, Kaneki! See how strong I've gotten?!"**_

* * *

 **Here you go! In apology for the short chapter before, I put this together quite nicely, if I do say so myself. I'll have the next chapter up and running as soon as I can. See you later!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hello again, my dear readers! Here's your latest installment. And by the way, if you haven't caught on already, this story is (slightly) following the manga. So read it, and make predictions!**

* * *

Kaneki stumbled to his feet, his knees weak. It was Eto. He had fought her three years ago during the Battle of the 20'th Ward. How had she gotten so strong…?

" _ **Hahaha! You should see the look on your face! Surprised, are you?**_ " the monstrous kakuja said, laughing. Kaneki clenched his fists. However, he remained silent. Did he have the power to fight her? Well, he'd have to find out.

Saying nothing, he sprinted towards her with nothing but his fists. He had to assess her abilities first. Before he ever got close, a huge kagune burst from her body, running right through his body. Coughing up blood, Kaneki ripped the kagune out of his body, stumbling back. Damn, she was much stronger.

" _ **Well, since you seem to be too stunned to speak, I'll tell you. Do you want to know why Aogiri shrank so dramatically?**_ " Eto called. Kaneki said nothing, but to be honest, he was curious. Even after the battle three years ago, Aogiri had been larger than the small group it was now.

" _ **After the battle, I went around the 20'th Ward. I ate all the corpses!**_ " Kaneki's eyes widened. There were hundreds of ghouls in that Ward at the time. But that wasn't the end of it.

" _ **But then, I realized that there was an even better way. You want to know what it was?!"**_

" _ **I ate all of my subordinates!"**_

Kaneki's face turned stark white. Eto had eaten… _that_ many ghouls?! That explained the change in her kakuja, and her monstrous power. How could Kaneki counter that strength?!

" _ **Ah, you don't know how long I've waited to see that look of despair on your face, Kaneki!**_ " Eto chirped gleefully. Kaneki growled in anger. He ran at Eto again, three blood-red kagune sprouting from his lower back.

He leapt in the air, slamming two down upon her. Eto simply caught them in her mouth, biting down and breaking them easily. Yelling in exasperation, Kaneki pulled back, using his remaining kagune to push off of the One-Eyed Owl and land a few feet away. Damn it all! How was he going to-

"Leave him alone!" a voice yelled. Both Kaneki and Eto turned to see who it was. Standing a few meters away was a ghoul. She was short, and her voice suggested that she was incredibly young. She wore a mask. It looked like a smaller version of Touka's mask, but it was black. It also had an eyepatch covering its right eye.

" _ **Now who do we have here?**_ " Eto said, laughing. The little ghoul walked forward, fists clenched.

"I'm the Blind Bunny!" she said, crossing her arms. Suddenly, Kaneki knew who it was. His eyes widened, and he had a strong urge to vomit.

It was Karena…

"Karena! _Get out of here!_ " Kaneki roared. It was too late, however. The One-Eyed Owl charged, and its kagune slammed into Karena, slamming her down through the floor and down a few stories.

Kaneki died inside.

" _You're holding back again, Kaneki._ " Kaneki could hear a voice in his head speaking. Not again, he thought to himself.

" _It's your own fault. Do we really need to have this conversation every time?_ " it whispered. Kaneki shook his head, trying to shake it off. He was doing the best he could.

" _Liar! Listen to me, Kaneki. You haven't met an opponent that could match you in three years. Now is not the time to get soft! Remember the last time we spoke? You said that you had accepted everything! What's wrong with you now?!_ " it yelled in his ear. Kaneki grimaced.

"I can't kill her. She's too strong. And even if I could, I promised Yoshimura. I promised that I would save her!" he said to himself. The voice got angry this time.

" _Listen to yourself, Kaneki! Listen to your bullshit! Where have your promises gotten you?! I swear, this is the last time! I'll just let you die next time!_ " Kaneki opened his mouth to respond, but just then, he was attacked again by Eto's kagune. Once again, he was sent flying into the rubble, where he lay, getting crushed by the weight of the beams. It was then, that his eyes were opened.

"You're right…" he muttered. The voice returned to him then, sounding slightly amused.

" _Do you understand now? Accept yourself, Kaneki,_ " it whispered. Kaneki attempted to nod.

"Yes… Everything's clear now. I've tried very hard, you know. Trying to be one or the other."

" _I know. But your time has finally come. You're both, Kaneki. Human, and ghoul. Now come. Let's make the world understand._ "

"Alright…" Kaneki whispered. The voice started to fade, but it had one last thing to say,before it could go.

" _Can I sleep now…?_ " it said. The tips of Kaneki's lips twitched upwards.

"Yes… You may sleep… And thank you, for everything…"

And so it was. That part of Kaneki finally died, able to rest in peace, knowing that its purpose was now complete. Kaneki had finally achieved the form he had been destined to reach. Meanwhile, the One-Eyed Owl stood outside the rubble, looking a bit upset that its plaything had fallen so quickly.

" _ **Is that it then? Have you finally kicked the bucket, Kaneki?**_ " she called to the rubble. Suddenly, a figure stood from the beams, walking outside and brushing itself off. In the cloud of dust, only one thing was visible; a shining red eye, seeing everything and nothing at the same time.

" _ **Great! I was hoping you'd still be-**_ " she never finished. Suddenly, the figure disappeared, grabbing one of the steel beams. It reappeared in front of her, standing only a few feet away. It was Kaneki, but not as Eto remembered him. His hair had changed once again. Just a few moments ago, it had been black and white. Now, it was jet black. He lifted the steel beam, an angry look in his eye.

" _ **Shut… the hell up,**_ " he said, stabbing the One-Eyed Owl in the face with such force that the beam passed through its face and went out the other side. Screaming, it stumbled back, trying to attack Kaneki. But he had gone again.

He leapt off the roof, using a single kagune to attack himself to the top, running along the walls. Regaining its wits, the kakuja followed.

" _ **Why did you come, Eto?**_ " Kaneki asked, running. The monster smiled.

" _ **I was bored!**_ " This only served to make Kaneki angrier.

" _ **Why do I need to save trash like you?!**_ " he yelled, leaping into the air above the roof.

" _ **Oh, but you**_ **are** _ **saving me! You-**_ " Eto was cut off as Kaneki's kagune cut off her kakuja's head, and she fell out of the monster. Kaneki dropped to the roof, slicing her in half at her waist. Her upper body landed on top of him, and Eto started licking the blood off of Kaneki's left eye. Then, she fell off the roof, screaming.

"I love you Kanekiiiiii!" she called. Kaneki never saw her body hit the ground. Turning, he wiped blood off of his face.

" _ **I'm honored, Eto,**_ " he said, walking towards Eto's kakuja. Preparing himself, he ate all of it, needing to replenish his hunger. Then, he walked over to Tsukiyama, who had only stood there, gaping in horror the whole time.

"Come, Tsukiyama. Let's-" Kaneki was cut off by the sound of footsteps coming out the door of the roof. It was the CCG. They had finally made it.

"Ah, Special Investigator Kaneki. I'm glad you're here. And you've apprehended the Gourmet. Good work!" Their leader stepped forward. It was Investigator Shinohara. Kaneki looked at him, then back at Tsukiyama.

"Yes. Please, give me a moment to dispose of him." Suddenly, his kagune pierced Tsukiyama in the chest, and he threw him off of the roof. Everything was going smoothly so far. Suddenly, the steel beams moved, and Kanae leapt from the rubble, sprinting off of the roof to save his master.

"Master Shuuuuuuuuu!" Kaneki heard him yelling all the way down. Hopefully, Tsukiyama had survived. Shinohara looked a bit surprised.

"Well then. I'm glad that's settled. All the other ghouls have been exterminated as well."

"I'm glad to hear it," Kaneki answered. He thought it was all over, but he was wrong.

Suddenly, from the rubble crawled another ghoul.

"Leave… him… _alone_!" Karena yelled. Two small wings erupted from her shoulders. Kaneki simply looked at her, stunned beyond belief. She had survived.

 _She had survived!_

He had to repress his happiness. He had to keep her alive. However, she wasn't done yet.

Along with her two wings, two red scaly tentacles sprouted from her lower back, swinging around dangerously.

"A Chimera…" Shinohara muttered. He frowned, releasing his quinque. Before he could attack, Kaneki leapt into action. He ran at Karena, knocking his fist into her head with all his might, knocking her unconscious. It tore at his heart to do so, but he could not allow her to be killed.

"Investigator Shinohara. I will claim this ghoul. She is the last survivor. She may know something important," Kaneki said, keeping his face devoid of any emotion. Shinohara nodded.

"Very well. You heard him lads. Take this little one to Cochlea. I'm very glad that this is all over."

Kaneki nodded, but inside, he knew that it wasn't over.

Not by a long shot.

* * *

 **There you go! I loved writing this chapter. But, there you have it. Kaneki's own daughter appeared at the scene, trying to protect her father. And now, she is being carted off to Cochlea. How will Kaneki save her now? Stay tuned, my dear readers!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Hey guys! I was so inspired, that I decided to put this chapter up as fast as I could. So here you go!**

* * *

Kaneki sat up in his bed, leaning back against the cold wall. Touka was to his left, fast asleep. Her face was still moist from the tears she had shed before finally crying herself to sleep.

After returning home, Kaneki had told Touka everything. She had been devastated, and not even Kaneki's promises of bringing Karena back would assuage her.

So here he sat, running his hand through his black hair. He couldn't sleep. He wouldn't be able to sleep until he figured out a way to save Karena. He didn't have a lot of time though. Once the CCG found out that Karena knew nothing, she would be disposed of. He wouldn't let that happen.

He slowly got out of bed, being careful not to disturb Touka. He started walking the streets of the 20'th Ward, deep in thought.

She would be in Cochlea now, terrified and alone. All he had to do was find out which cell she was being held in, and then get her out of there. There was little chance of success. Cochlea was one of Tokyo's most protected ghoul detention facilities. If he was honest with himself, Kaneki didn't think that he would make it out alive. But, even if he died, he would make sure that Karena made it out safely.

He would go for her as soon as possible. As the sun began to rise, he made it back to his house, where he pulled his battle suit on. He took both of his masks and put them in his pockets, stowing them away carefully. Then, he put his black coat on top of everything.

And then, without saying a word to anyone, he left, heading for the 23'th Ward.

* * *

"Special Investigator Kaneki! Good morning, sir. May I help you with anything?" the guard at the entrance asked, flustered. Kaneki shook his head, retaining his blank expression.

"No, thank you. I'm here to see one of the prisoners. If you would be so kind as to open the gate, I will be on my way," Kaneki responded evenly. The guard nodded.

"Right away, sir!" he answered, pressing a few buttons on his panel. The gate opened, and Kaneki walked inside. Right after he entered, the guard quickly picked up his phone, dialing a number.

"He's here, sir… Yes, I understand… Good day, sir…" he muttered, before hanging up. This was going to be one hell of a day.

* * *

Kaneki walked through Cochlea's halls, taking in every detail. He had been here on a few occasions, but now, he wished he had paid more attention. He searched for any indication of Karena's presence, but could find none. Suddenly, he felt a hand on his shoulder. Turning, he found himself face to face with Arima.

"Good morning, Investigator Arima. How are you today?" Kaneki inquired pleasantly, trying to hide his nervousness. Could Arima hear Kaneki's heart pounding in his chest.

"I'm fine, thank you, Investigator Kaneki. If I may ask, what are you doing here in Cochlea today?" Arima inquired. Kaneki crossed his arms, acting cool and composed.

"I came to interrogate one of the prisoners," he answered. Arima nodded.

"You mean the Blind Bunny? The ghoul that you claimed?" Arima asked. Kaneki swallowed, then nodded.

"The same. If you could please direct me to her cell, I would be grateful." To this, Arima nodded again.

"Certainly. Follow me," he responded, starting forward. Kaneki followed him.

Eventually, they came to one of the many doors. Arima pulled a key card from his pocket, sliding it into the slot in the door. The door swung open easily, barely emitting a sound. Kaneki stepped inside, eager to see his daughter. But, to his surprise, the cell was empty. He turned around quickly.

"Sorry sir, but I think this is the wrong-" he was cut off as Arima sprang forward, pulling something out of his pocket and stabbing Kaneki in his left eye. Too shocked to defend himself, he was pushed into the cell, and Arima pulled the door closed, locking it. Covering his injured eye, Kaneki ran to the door, pounding on it.

"Arima, what are you doing?!" he yelled, trying to find an answer. He could see Arima's face, but it remained the same. If anything, it was slightly sadder.

"Forgive me, Investigator Kaneki, but we must dispose of the girl. We ran tests on her blood, and we found that she is your daughter. For that reason, you must be detained until she is dead." Kaneki took a step back, horrified, before renewing his attack on the door.

"Arima, you can't do this! You promised me you wouldn't kill anyone I held dear!" Kaneki roared in anguish. However, Arima shook his head.

"The deal was that I would keep them safe if they did not step out of line. Your daughter sealed her fate when she threatened the CCG. There is nothing else I can do. I will come back to release you when the girl is disposed of. But, remember this, Investigator. Once I release you, please act civil. Otherwise, I will put you back in this cell, and you won't come back out," Arima warned. However, the pounding did not cease.

"Forgive me, Kaneki." And so saying, Arima left. Kaneki slammed into the door with all his strength.

"Arima, let me out! Arima! Arimaaaaaa!" he roared. He stumbled around the cell, trying to break out. His eye refused to heal, and fluid ran freely from the would. Arima had stabbed him with a syringe. It probably contained Rc Suppressants. He couldn't use his kagune, and he was stuck in the cell, unable to do anything.

"Arima… Arima, I'll kill you…" Kaneki whispered, scratching at the door. Eventually, he gave up, slumping, tears running down his face. Eyes wide, a realization hit him.

His daughter was going to die.

His daughter was going to _die._

 _His daughter was going to die._

* * *

Eto stood on top of the wall, looking down at the ghoul detention facility. It was called Cochlea, if she remembered correctly. Behind her stood all that was left of Aogiri. Ayato stepped forward, his mask in his hand.

"Eto, what are we doing here?" he muttered. He'd grown a lot stronger, and was now SS rated. Eto chuckled to herself.

"We're here to cause some chaos. And, if we're lucky, we'll find Kaneki in there too," she answered, shrugging. Shachi stirred, standing upright.

"Eto, if we find the boy, I would like to face him first." To this, Eto turned, looking at the muscular man.

"Go ahead. But I'll warn you, he's gotten a lot stronger." Shachi acted like he didn't care.

They had no idea what awaited them beyond those walls.

* * *

"Are you sure you want to do this, Touka?" Nishio asked, looking concerned. Touka frowned, turning to him.

"My daughter and my husband are in there. Kaneki hasn't answered his phone, so something must have gone wrong! I'm going in to save them both," she said. Nishio shrugged.

All of Anteiku was there, standing outside Cochlea's walls. Touka had gathered all of them together to break into the ghoul detention facility.

"I warn you, Touka. Most of us will not survive this. We may not even make it inside," the manager said calmly. Touka grimaced.

"I don't care anymore. If either of them die, I don't want to live in this world either. If anyone wants to leave, they can do so. But either way, I'm going in," she said, sealing her fate. No one left. They were all with her. Yomo stepped forward, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"We're with you, Touka. Now come, let's get Kaneki and Karena back." Touka nodded, preparing herself for the fight that was coming.

The storms of war were brewing. This was going to be the biggest battle either side had ever experienced. However, both humans and ghouls were blinded by their hatred that day. They could not see straight.

 _But, among the blind, the one-eyed is king._

* * *

 **Dang, I'm getting these chapters out quick! But I don't mind. I'm really excited to write these last chapters. I hope you're enjoying them as much as I am. But yes, it goes as the story says. This will be it. This will be the final battle. Will Kaneki, Karena, Touka, Arima, etc. survive? No one knows. I don't even know. Only the mad spirit that guides my fingers understands where this story is coming from. So please, enjoy.**


	10. Chapter 10

**I really can't express how much I am loving this story. I hope you guys like it as much as I do. Please, leave a review with your thoughts. Well, here's your next chapter!**

* * *

"Special Investigator Arima! Cochlea is under attack!" a voice called from behind him. Turning, Arima gripped both his briefcases tightly. Was this Kaneki's doing? No. Something told Arima that this was not the half-ghoul's doing.

"Go to the command center. Call CCG Headquarters and tell them what's happening. Let them decide who to send. I'll head out and see just what we're dealing with," he said, his apathetic expression never changing. The man nodded, running in the opposite direction. To be honest, the man wasn't too worried. They had Arima. What could possibly happen?

Arima walked to the center, looking above to get a clear view of everything. Falling from above were figures wearing the robes of Aogiri. He watched them carefully, judging when they would land. Then, he gripped his briefcases.

"IXA. Narukami. Assist me now," he whispered, almost as a prayer. Then, he pressed the buttons on the briefcases. Now, he held two quinques in his hand.

First, was IXA. It was a long, black lance. It was capable of easily piercing a ghoul's flesh, and it could expand. Once he willed it, it could also go into defensive mode, where it would change into a large shield, able to block almost all attacks.

In his other hand he held Narukami. It was a long, golden lance. It also had two forms. It was a long silver blade, which was incredibly durable, and could slice through even a Koukaku kagune. It's second form was also powerful. The blades separated, and they stored energy. They could fire bolts of electrical energy at his foes, and they would track any enemies. They were incredibly difficult to dodge.

In short, Arima was not an Investigator to be trifled with.

Before they reached Arima, most of the ghouls changed course, heading towards other areas of Cochlea. Three, however, landed a few meters from Arima, brandishing their kagune.

The leader of the small group was a small man with long blond hair. A blue Koukaku kagune covered his right arm. Behind him were two large, bald men, with identical masks. They had no kagune out.

"So this is Arima. Let's see what he does, little bros!" he yelled emotionally, running towards Arima.

"Naki, leader of the White Suits. S rated," Arima muttered to himself, blocking the ghoul's first attack. Then, he sliced diagonally, decapitating the ghoul and killing him easily. Then, with a flick of his wrist, Narukami's blades opened, and the two other large ghouls were blasted to pieces by its electrical power.

Making sure that no other ghouls were sneaking up on him, he calmly walked out of the center, looking for other opponents.

* * *

"Aogiri's here too?!" Nishio yelled, running forward through Cochlea. There were Doves everywhere. And now they had to deal with Aogiri too? He had his mask on, which designated him as Serpent, an S rated ghoul.

"Yes, that seems to be the case," the manager mumbled. Suddenly, he stopped. The other members of Anteiku turned to see the manager walking away.

"Where are you going, Yoshimura?" Yomo asked, having a small idea. The manager turned, giving them a small smile.

"It is very dangerous here. With both Aogiri and the Doves, I think it would be best if I fight with all my power, to lessen all their numbers. And, if I'm lucky, Eto will show herself as well."

And just like that, he left, without another word.

"It's alright guys! Let's head to the center to try and find Kaneki!" Touka yelled, running in that direction.

Unbeknownst to them, Arima was heading in the same direction.

They reached each other within minutes. Both parties entered the center at the same time, unaware of the others' presence. Suddenly, Touka recognized the white-haired ghoul Investigator. She turned deathly pale, knowing that this was the Death God of the CCG.

She prepared herself, ready to face this adversary, when suddenly, another figure stepped in front of the group. Throwing off his mask, Yomo stood, an angry expression on his face.

"Arima…" he growled. The Investigator heard him, raising his quinques.

"You killed my sister," Yomo said, his raven-like wings slowly spreading from his shoulders.

"Forgive me," Arima answered. This threw Yomo off, and Arima used that moment to attack. He crossed the distance between them in seconds, slashing with IXA. Yomo barely had enough time to block the strike with his kagune, leaping into the sky, shooting down crystalline projectiles at Arima. The Investigator simply raised Narukami, and it widened in its defensive mode, blocking all the shards.

Yomo landed, sprinting at Arima with all his speed. He slashed with his hardened kagune, but Arima's defense was impenetrable.

Koma and Irimi were the first to awaken from their stupor. Yelling in anger, they both leapt into the air, ready to strike at Arima. Their attacks never landed. Right when their attacks were about to hit home, Arima swung Narukami in a wide arc, killing Irimi. Shocked beyond belief, Koma was unable to defend himself as he was shocked to death by Narukami's energy shocks.

Touka fell to her knees, unable to stomach it. Two of her closest comrades, killed in an instant. Yomo seemed oblivious, however. He simply renewed his attack. However, he seemed to be growing slower.

Arima noticed this, and took the opportunity to slice at his neck. By a stroke of luck, Yomo drew back, and he only received a deep cut on his neck.

Breathing heavily, Yomo landed. He was covered in sweat, even though the battle had only lasted a few minutes. Nishio stepped forward, his blue, snake-like tail slithering out of his lower back.

"I'm here, Yomo. Catch your breath!" he yelled, running at Arima. He chuckled to himself, knowing that his chances of success were non-existent. To protect himself, he wrapped most of his kagune around his body, leaving his limbs free to attack. He sent a punch towards the white-haired Investigator, only to find himself missing his entire arm. He had never even seen the man move!

He stumbled back, unwrapping his kagune. It would do no good defending himself if he had no offensive power. He stayed back, using his Bikaku kagune to stab and slash at Arima, but the man was incredible, dodging every attack Nishio threw.

"Damn it!" Nishio roared, throwing away all restraint and sprinting at Arima, hardening his kagune as much as he could. He would slam it into the cocky Investigator. He would crush him. He would-

Arima raised his quinque to block the attack, and Nishio's kagune shattered, leaving him defenseless.

Stunned, Nishio couldn't defend himself. Arima ran him through with IXA, before throwing him back, here he landed next to Touka, coughing up blood.

"Nishio, no!" Touka screamed, horrified. It was only her, Yomo, and-

She looked around quickly, to make sure. Hide was missing. Where had he gone? She had last seen him when they had first entered. But right now, she couldn't worry about that. She had another ghoul to attend to.

"Shitty brat… Don't worry about me. Go find Kaneki. Tell him… tell him I tried," he coughed, a single tear falling from his eye. Then, Nishio died, and the blood stopped flowing.

Touka could only sit there, holding him in her arms, tears flowing freely from her eyes. Why? Why had this happened? If only… If only she had been stronger…

So that was how Kaneki felt. Unable to save those you loved, out of weakness. Being forced to watch them die. But, just then, she didn't want revenge. Her hope was gone. What could she do?

Suddenly, Yomo stepped forward again, his wings flaming. He turned to Touka, a sad look on his face.

"What is hope?" he said, turning back to Arima. However, he still addressed Touka.

"Get out of here, Touka. Go find Kaneki…"

"I'm going to go see my sister."

Yomo walked towards Arima, his fists clenched. The white-haired Dove simply stood there, the same apathetic expression on his face. Touka didn't move.

"How much will you take from me, Arima…?" Yomo said. Arima didn't answer.

"I'm sorry, my friends. I didn't mean for this to happen. But… I promise you…"

His wings grew incredibly large, and Yomo crouched, ready to attack with all his power. Arima raised his quinque, charging an energy shock that would be sure to kill Yomo.

" _Next time, I will protect you!"_

Arima fired, and Yomo charged.

Yomo saw his sister there, smiling at him.

"I'm proud of you, Renji."

Before their attacks collided, a large, black hand blocked Arima's attack and knocked Yomo back to where Touka was. In surprise, Yomo looked to see what it was.

It was a large, black kagune. It slithered back to it's owner, who stood a few meters away, standing between the two combatants.

He had black hair, and he wore a black coat. He had mismatched eyes. They were emotionless. One was gray, while the other had a black sclera, and a red iris.

Kaneki.

* * *

 **There you go! I hope you enjoyed this! I spent most of the day writing this, and now I think I can go to bed. Goodnight, my dear readers!**


	11. Chapter 11

**We're almost done here guys! Just a little farther to go! Carry on with me!**

* * *

Kaneki lay in his cell, trying to fade away into the darkness. He didn't care about anything anymore. His daughter was probably dead already. He just wanted to die in that cell, alone.

He had tried to break the cell wall many times, but the Rc Suppressants must've been extra strong, because Kaneki wasn't able to do anything. So he sat there, until he heard the sound of combat outside.

Remotely curious, he wondered if Cochlea was being attacked, or if one of the imprisoned ghouls had escaped. But, he was unable to do anything, so there he sat, having lost all his will to survive.

Suddenly, the cell door opened. But Kaneki had already decided on his course of action. His daughter was probably dead. So he would sit there.

He was somewhat surprised when he saw his best friend enter the cell. It was Hide. He wore a sad smile. Being so busy with his job, Kaneki had not had time to spend time with him. But what was he doing here?

"Yo, Kaneki," Hide said, smiling. Kaneki nodded in answer. Hide walked over to him, crouching down.

"All of Anteiku's here for you. So come on. Let's go," he said, trying to pull Kaneki up. But the half-ghoul was immovable.

"They injected me, Hide. I can't fight. I'm useless. You go on without me," he muttered lifelessly. Then, Hide made his choice. The choice that would haunt Kaneki for the rest of his life.

"Kaneki, listen to me. Most of us are probably dead already. They ran into _him_. The Death God of the CCG," Hide said, trying to get a reaction. He got none. So he continued.

"He knows they're here for you and Karena. He'll kill them all. I know you're weak, so I need you to do something… for me. For all of us," Hide whispered. As he spoke, Kaneki's eyes widened, and all color left his face.

"Please, eat me."

Speechless, Kaneki could say nothing, as Hide gave him a familiar smile. He put a hand on Kaneki's shoulder.

"Can you fight with all your strength, one last time?" Tears ran down both of their faces, but Kaneki could see that Hide was resolute, and that he was not scared in the slightest.

Kaneki closed his eyes, and remembered nothing else.

* * *

It was some time before Kaneki awoke. When he did, Hide was gone, and the taste of blood was in Kaneki's mouth. For a moment, he thought it was all a dream. But he knew, deep down, that it was all real.

But he had no time to mourn for his friend. Not yet. He clenched his fists. It wasn't his fault. The CCG, no. _Arima_ had driven him to this. And for that, he would pay.

Kaneki felt all of his power rising up within him. He stood, an apathetic expression on his face. He walked outside the cell, stretching. He did not have a lot of time alone.

Almost immediately, he was stopped by two men. Investigator Shinohara, and Investigator Juuzou. Juuzou was the same, except his hair was now black. Shinohara looked the same as well, except that he was eyeing Kaneki nervously.

"Ah, it's good to see you here, Investigator Kaneki. Since you are alone, please, come with us and we will help the main forces keep the ghouls at bay," Shinohara said, gripping his released quinque a bit too tightly. Kaneki's expression never changed, and his voice was emotionless.

"You know very well that I cannot do that," Kaneki said clearly. Shinohara's face paled, and he stepped back. However, his voice remained the same.

"I see. Very well then," he said, raising his quinque.

"Forgive me, Kaneki." And so saying, he charged. Kaneki nodded, acknowledging the statement. Kaneki's usual tactic would have been to fight with his hands until he needed to use his kagune. But this time around, Kaneki couldn't afford to be merciful…

Two slim, scaly kagune slowly appeared from behind him. However, there was something different about them. They were black, instead of their usual red. He payed it no mind. His kakugan was not active, as Kaneki had yet to start fighting seriously.

He blocked the Investigator's first strike, then slashed down, completely severing his right arm, before impaling him in the chest twice. The man fell to his knees, eyes wide. Kaneki had no harsh feelings against the Investigator, so he killed him quickly, tearing his head from his shoulders.

It was the first human Kaneki had ever killed. However, all of that was behind him now. He felt no remorse at the death. It had to be done.

Juuzou did not last very long either. Shocked and angry by his mentor's death, his movements were erratic, and it wasn't long before his heart was ripped apart by Kaneki's kagune. The half-ghoul wasn't even breathing hard.

He proceeded onward, wary of any approaching enemies. A few human soldiers came to him, but he quickly disposed of them, not even stopping to eat the bodies.

He had an idea of where Arima would be. He would be in the center of Cochlea. That was where he would have the best view of the whole facility. So that is where Kaneki went.

When he was almost there, his path was blocked. A man with a white robe, and a man with a red robe stood in his way. Noro, and Tatara.

"You're in my way," Kaneki said, no malice in his voice. Neither of them moved to leave. Tatara stepped forward, his mask blocking his moving mouth.

"You've grown strong, Kaneki," he said, mirroring the half-ghoul's expression.

"It was that or die," Kaneki responded, his two tentacles twitching. The Chinese ghoul cocked his head.

"We cannot let you live, Kaneki. I was berated for discarding you. I will not make the same mistake again!" he said, his kagune sprouting from his back. It was one large, red tail. So he was a Bikaku. Noro still did not move, but Kaneki knew not to underestimate him. They were both SS rated. Tatara twitched, then disappeared.

Kaneki leapt out of the way of his first attack, a third tentacle joining the two he had. Kaneki was much stronger than Tatara, but the white-haired ghoul's speed made him annoying. However, he never managed to land a blow on the half-ghoul.

Eventually, Kaneki caught him, and impaled him on his kagune, killing him. That done, he had to deal with Noro. Landing on the ground, he noticed that the ghoul was gone. In his place was a large, monstrous creature. It had many tentacles, and a large, gaping mouth.

So Noro was a kakuja as well. This would be interesting. No matter how strong Kaneki was, if Noro caught him in its jaws, he was done for.

Kaneki sped forward, using two kagune to block the incoming tentacles. He leapt into the air, slashing at the kakuja, but he was unable to reach the dangerous ghoul. It took him a few tries, but eventually, he was able to land on its body, stabbing into its mouth multiple times. He heard Noro speak for the first and last time.

"I'll see you on the other side, Eto…"

The ghoul died, and Kaneki landed next to its corpse, shoving some of the kakuja in his mouth. He had to replenish his health, as his breath was starting to come a little quicker. Within moments, he was back in his prime.

Suddenly, he heard a cry, and the sound of an intense battle. Noticing it, Kaneki walked to the spot, having an idea who it was. And there he saw it.

He was in the center, but no one had noticed him. Koma and Irimi were nothing but corpses on the ground. Touka sat there, caressing Nishio's dead body. Yomo stood alone, facing _him_. Arima had certainly gotten much stronger. Could Kaneki take him on? He prepared himself. He was about to find out. Yomo and Arima prepared their final attacks, and Yomo charged, just as Arima fired an energy blast. Kaneki wouldn't be fast enough to stop it!

Suddenly, anger welled up inside of him. Would he be forced to watch another one of his comrades die?! Was he still too weak?! _No_! His left eye was slowly enveloped in black, and his gray eye turned red.

From his body erupted a single tentacle. It was different than the others though. It was four times larger than average, and on the end was a large, clawed hand. He sent it into battle, it wrapped protectively around Yomo and threw him gently over to Touka, while blocking Arima's attack. Then, it retreated back to Kaneki, standing on his right, ready for battle. It was then that he was noticed.

He stepped in front of Touka and Yomo. If Arima was surprised, he didn't show it. He merely readied his quinques. Kaneki's eyes narrowed. _Arima._

Both had the same apathetic expression on their faces. Kaneki clenched his fists.

It was time for the Black Reaper to shed his cloak.

* * *

 **And there you have it! If anyone is a little confused, I'll explain, although I hoped you caught on. In order to add suspense, I brought you guys back to what happened while Anteiku was facing Arima. Hope you guys are ready for the next chapter! See you all later!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Hey guys! Here's another chapter for your viewing pleasure. If it gives you guys any satisfaction, I can honestly say I have nothing but the very end planned for now. Everything I write will be sort of 'on the spot,' as the saying goes. Enjoy!**

* * *

The two combatants watched each other's' movements carefully, neither making a move to attack. Then, Arima spoke, but his voice was just as emotionless as the rest of him.

"So, this is how it ends, Kaneki," he said, and the black-haired ghoul nodded.

"This is how it _must_ end, Arima," he answered. For the first time, the Investigator looked slightly disappointed.

"I had rather hoped that you would be the bridge between ghouls and humans. But I see now. It was not to be. Please forgive me, my son. I did not wish to start this battle. But unfortunately, I must end it," Arima said sadly. Kaneki nodded, raising his single kagune slowly. There could be no mistakes here. One wrong move would kill him. The same held true for the Investigator. Arima twitched.

Within seconds, the Investigator was upon him, striking with all his strength. Kaneki barely had time to block the strike with his kagune, taking a few steps back from the force of the blow.

"Right off the bat, huh?" Kaneki muttered, wondering how the other man had gotten so strong in the few years since the last battle. Shaking his head, Kaneki cleared his thoughts. He couldn't think about all that now.

Swinging his black kagune rapidly, he slashed in a wide arc, trying to keep the Investigator at bay. Something was off, however. Arima was moving too fast, striking too hard. He couldn't be a human, and fight like that! What was going on?

"You were like a son to me, Kaneki," Arima said, never missing a beat. Kaneki's eyes narrowed.

"And you were like the father I never had," he answered, trying to restrain his emotions. Arima leapt back for a moment, ceasing the battle for a few seconds.

"Please, Kaneki. Don't make me destroy you. If you join me here, I'll make sure no one else comes to harm. Kaneki stopped for a split second, but then, white-hot anger flowed through his veins.

" _Liar!_ " Kaneki yelled, his speed increasing as he charged. His single kagune drew back, before stabbing at the white-haired Investigator. Arima blocked the attack with Narukami, before sending Kaneki back with an energy blast.

"Look around you, Arima. How many of my friends have you slaughtered already?" Kaneki growled, raising his kagune. Arima's eyes twitched in the direction of the bodies.

"They tried to kill me. Am I wrong for trying to defend myself?" the man asked evenly. Kaneki clenched his fists. He was losing himself again. Never taking his eyes off of Arima, Kaneki suddenly addressed Touka.

"Touka! Yomo! Both of you, find Karena, and get out of here!" he yelled. He had no idea of where they were, only that they were behind him. Suddenly, he heard another familiar voice to his right.

"What about me, big brother? I brought you something!" it called. Kaneki smiled to himself. Hinami walked into his vision, holding his briefcase. She tossed it to him, and he caught it.

"Thought you might need it. Don't worry, big brother. I'll keep them safe!" she yelled, walking towards the group. From what he heard, they left. He couldn't turn to be sure though. He looked at the briefcase.

"I suppose I need all the help I can get right now," he muttered, pressing the button on the briefcase, releasing Yukimura ⅓. Suddenly, something caught his eye. Another button on the quinque. How had he not noticed it before. He pressed it tentatively.

Yukimura ⅓ split in half, and suddenly, Kaneki was holding two identical blades. Smiling, Kaneki crouched. This would be a welcome help to him. Arima charged, sending another energy blast at him.

Kaneki blocked it with his kagune, before leaping into the air, just out of the reach of IXA. He swung Yukimura ⅓, but it was stopped by Narukami's defense mode. He was weakening. He wouldn't be able to keep up for much longer. Knowing this, Kaneki pushed off of Narukami, trying to regain his breath.

"Arima…" he huffed, lifting himself up. Arima never responded. Kaneki bent down, pushing through his limits.

" _I won't let you take everything away from me!_ " he roared, his muscles clenching. From his back, four spindly black kagune joined his single one. Arima's face never changed. Kaneki charged, using every available technique at his disposal. Suddenly, he saw an opening. Using his two quinques, he dropped down on Arima, slashing downwards with all his strength.

Suddenly, IXA was there. Yukimura ⅓ landed on the blade, and both weapons shattered in Kaneki's hands. Shocked, Kaneki was unable to move as an energy blast hit him full on. He was sent crashing into the wall, where he lay, unable to renew his attack.

Spitting blood, Kaneki got to his feet, his whole body shaking. How could he contend with such a monstrous power. Cursing, Kaneki stood up straight, his kagune up and ready. Arima never moved.

"Kaneki. It's over," Arima said, lowering his weapons. Kaneki's anger rose.

"Don't underestimate me, Arima!" he spat, stepping forward. Arima did the same.

"Kaneki. This is your last chance. After this, I won't hold back. Join me," Arima said. _Hold back_?! The man had been toying with him this whole time?! Damn it all! However, Kaneki was resolute.

"I can't do that, Arima. I'm not one of you," Kaneki answered, tearing his black coat off of his body. This did not seem to affect Arima.

"Very well, Kaneki. I'm sorry, but you leave me no choice," Arima said. Suddenly, the Investigator's left eye changed. The iris became red, and the sclera turned gray. From behind Arima came a long, white tail. A Bikaku kagune.

Kaneki fell to his knees, unable to comprehend this turn of events.

 _Arima was a Quinx._

"Come now, Kaneki. Let's end this," Arima said. Suddenly, the man was in front of him. The kagune came from nowhere, running Kaneki through. Narukami came next, slashing off Kaneki's right hand. Then IXA stabbed his left eye. Arima threw Kaneki with all his might, and Kaneki landed on the other side of the room, utterly destroyed in one attack.

Arima towered over him, his kagune waiting to finish Kaneki. The half-ghoul could do nothing to stop him. It was over.

"Forgive me, my son," Arima whispered, bringing the kagune down upon him. Kaneki never moved, waiting for death. It never came.

In front of his eyes, Kaneki saw another person leap in front of him before the kagune struck. Arima's kagune ripped right through the other person's body. Kaneki looked them in the eye, only to see Touka smile back at him. She fell several meters away, never moving.

Kaneki never remembered moving. He found himself on the other side of the room again, holding his injured wife in his arms. He found himself completely healed, and not a scratch was left upon him.

"Touka! Touka please, answer me!" he yelled at her. Her eyes fluttered open, and she looked at her husband.

"Kaneki… Thank you… for everything…" she whispered, stroking his face lovingly. Kaneki held her close, begging whatever god existed above to let her live.

"Listen… to me… I love… you…" she whispered. Suddenly, her eyes closed.

" _Don't… lose… yourself…_ "

And in that moment, Touka died in Kaneki's arms.

* * *

Kaneki sat there for what seemed like an eternity, waiting for her to wake up and go home with him. Tears of blood fell from Kaneki's eyes. His wife was dead. Suddenly, Kaneki had but one desire.

 _He was going to kill the man who had murdered his wife._

Standing up, he looked at his right hand. It had completely regrown, but it was different. The skin was bright red. Kaneki immediately understood what it meant. It was the Right Hand of God. That was right. Kaneki was god in that moment. Kaneki brought his right hand up, and a loud _crack_ was heard. He turned to Arima, his body being enveloped by his kagune.

" _ **What's 1000 minus 7...?"**_


	13. Chapter 13

**Sorry to keep you waiting!**

* * *

Arima stood, never flinching. He did not renew his attack, but stood, waiting to see what Kaneki would do. Inside, he knew. He knew that this was it. Kaneki was going to release every ounce of strength available.

On the other side of the room, Kaneki stood, cracking his index finger loudly. Other than his head, his entire body was covered in a shining black carapace. On the side of his body, arms, and legs were small, sharp centipede legs. Kaneki's wounds had healed, and he looked at Arima, his kakugan watching the Investigator's every move.

" _ **Arima,**_ " Kaneki said, standing up straight. Arima nodded, acknowledging the half-ghoul. Arima walked forward, raising his blades.

" _ **Why'd you do it? You killed my wife,**_ " Kaneki said calmly. Arima never moved.

"She got it my way. I swear to you, Kaneki. If any ghoul steps in my path, they will be eliminated. Unfortunately, this includes you," Arima answered. Kaneki nodded.

" _ **I understand,**_ " Kaneki said calmly. Taking a step forward, he suddenly started running, using only his body to fight for now. He sent three punches towards Arima in quick succession, but they were blocked by Narukami. Kaneki fell to the ground, using one hand to support himself while he kicked at Arima. Once again, it was blocked by Arima's kagune.

Grunting, Kaneki spun on his hands, trying to trip the Investigator. Arima leapt out of the way, trying to stab Kaneki through the eye again. Using only his hands and his momentum, Kaneki flipped backwards, landing several feet away.

Suddenly, four long, black spindly kagune ripped through his back. Narrowing his eyes, Kaneki charged again, using two of his kagune to propel himself into the air. Arima was not idle. Using Narukami, he sent several energy blasts towards Kaneki. The half-ghoul blocked the attack with his kagune, before landing close to his opponent and striking with all his might.

IXA was there, blocking the attack with its defensive mode. However, it stood no chance against Kaneki's full strength. It only took one blow, and IXA shattered in Arima's grip. Stumbling back, Arima sought to put some distance between him and the ghoul. Using Narukami, he sent a full power energy shockwave towards the half-ghoul. Approaching calmly, Kaneki covered himself with his kagune, protecting himself efficiently.

Then, Kaneki sprinted as fast as he could, trying to wound the Investigator. Using all four kagune, he struck like a snake. Arima was unable to stop him. Narukami went up to block the attack, but was completely destroyed as well. Taking quick steps back, Kaneki saw his opening.

The man was defenseless now! His kagune wouldn't be fast enough. It was time to end this! Kaneki struck, attempting to kill the white-haired Investigator. However, something stopped him. His kagune crashed into something hard. Something that would be harder to destroy. Leaping back, Kaneki tried to get a better look.

Arima held another large quinque in his hand. This one looked much more formidable. It looked like one long crystallized weapon with a long handle. Kaneki didn't try to attack just yet.

"This is from a kakuhou that I ripped out of a ghoul when I was only nineteen," Arima said calmly, his kagune coming to his right.

"You're the first ghoul I've used it on. It's name is Owl, and it's SSS rated. Let's see how you do now, Ken Kaneki," Arima finished, bringing the quinque up to fight. Nervously, Kaneki edged forward, striking with all four kagune separately, testing the quinque's limits.

Arima blocked every strike that Kaneki sent at him. Getting frustrated, Kaneki tried to flank the man, but his white kagune blocked any attacks that came his way. Suddenly, Arima slashed quickly, slicing Kaneki's chest. It was a shallow wound, but Kaneki suddenly became very wary, stepping back a few paces.

It seemed, that he would have to fight seriously now. Bending over, he groaned, contracting his kakuhou so as to release his full kagune. Suddenly, six more black tentacles joined the four, and they hovered around him, protecting him at all angles. Then, along with them, four centipede kagune appeared, larger than ever before.

Walking towards Arima, he brandished his fourteen kagune, struggling to keep track of them all. It only took a few seconds, but after that, he had control over all of them. He ran forward, intending to cut the man down.

Arima was hard pressed to stop him now. His body flexed in every possible way, and he was able to block or dodge almost every attack Kaneki used. Almost.

Suddenly, in a burst of speed, Kaneki struck. It was at that moment that the battle was decided. Arima's left arm was completely severed, but Kaneki did not stop. Four kagune left the group and ran through Arima's body. Ripping out vital organs, they retracted, returning to Kaneki's body. Arima fell, unable to support himself. His wounds were healing, but they would not close fast enough.

Kaneki had won. He walked over to Arima, leaning over the dying man. Arima turned to face him, his face calm even in the case of death. He raised his right arm towards Kaneki.

"My s-son… My s-s-on… Forgive… Forgive…"

" _Forgive me…_ "

Arima passed into the next world.

* * *

Kaneki stood up straight. He had done what he had to do. There was no joy in what he had just done. There was little remorse. But no matter how little it was, it was still there.

It was done. Walking away, Kaneki's kagune retreated back into his body. He went to go rejoin the others.

And so it was over.

* * *

Kaneki sat in a chair, on his porch. He was still living in the same house, after all these years. On the porch was a small table, and an empty chair beside Kaneki.

His hair was white again, but not from torture. Kaneki's wrinkled hands were on his lap. He was dozed off, as always. Suddenly, he heard the door open and close. Karena rushed out, pulling a coat on. She ran to her father, planting a kiss on his cheek.

"I'm going to work now. I'll be back around six. See you later dad!" she said, running off to her car. She was a grown woman now, but she still had much to learn. Kaneki smiled. It seemed only yesterday when she had been a little girl, and her father had always been there to defend her.

He sat there calmly, rocking his chair back and forth. He had gotten very old. He felt very tired. However, he would keep on living his life, the same way he always had. Suddenly, a voice spoke, coming from his right.

"Well, look at you now, Kaneki," it said. Kaneki's eyes widened. He turned his head quickly. Surely it wasn't… Oh, but it was.

Touka sat in the chair, looking at him with her loving gaze. Kaneki's vision blurred as tears streamed down his face. She had aged as well. How was she here, after all this time?

"Touka…?" he whispered. She nodded, smiling at him. She put a hand on his cheek lovingly, wiping away the tears.

"Yes, Kaneki. I'm here," she answered. She went to embrace him, and he held her tightly, afraid that she would slip away once again.

"Touka… Never leave me again…" he whispered gently. Touka smiled again.

"What are you talking about, silly? I never left you." They both leaned back in their chairs, rocking back and forth.

"Touka?" Kaneki whispered. There was no response. Kaneki's vision faded slowly.

"Touka?" Still no answer. Everything was blurry now.

" _I love you, Touka…_ " he whispered, crying once more. Suddenly, she answered, her voice quietly calm.

" _I love you too, Kaneki…_ " she answered. Suddenly, he felt a gentle hand on his face again, caressing it softly. Then, it too retreated.

" _It's okay, Kaneki. It's all over,_ " he heard her say softly. Kaneki closed his eyes.

" _Can I rest now, Touka…?"_ he whispered tentatively, afraid of the answer.

" _Yes, Kaneki. Rest peacefully,_ "

Kaneki felt extremely tired. He knew the time had come. However, he was strangely… calm. He was happy, for the first time in forever… Finally, he could sleep… But first…

Kaneki opened his eyes slowly, and turned to the chair beside him. Then, for the last time, he closed his eyes, leaning back into the chair. A sad smile touched his lips, as his spirit finally slept.

The chair was empty.

* * *

 **The End**

* * *

 **There you go, my dearest readers. I'll admit, I shed a few tears myself writing that last bit. Well, it's finally over. Now, I think it's time for** _ **me**_ **to rest now. However, it's been fun. Thank you for all of the support you've showed me. Please, write a review telling me how you liked it. I'm going to take a break from writing now, but feel free to PM me with any suggestions for my next story. Until then, my dear readers. Until then…**


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